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Arrieta Hoping To Follow Higuain's Breakout

By: Adam Jardy

The Columbus Dispatch - August 17, 2013 09:04 AM

Last Saturday, Crew designated player Federico Higuain had his most impactful offensive performance of the season. The team captain scored both goals in the 2-0 win against New York, a game that could prove to be a spark for one of the team’s key offensive options.

Whether that will spark fellow forward Jairo Arrieta to have a similar performance remains to be seen. Last year’s co-leading scorer, Arrieta continues to earn praise from coach Robert Warzycha for being dangerous but remains in a scoring drought that stretches back to late June.

Arrieta’s last goal came June 29 in a 3-2 road loss to Sporting Kansas City. He missed the next three games while on national team duty for Costa Rica, but he has eight shots while starting the last three games without a goal to show for it. The goal against Kansas City was his first since the second game of the season.

“It’s important to create chances and it’s important to play for the team but obviously personally you want to be able to score goals as well, but I’m left with having worked for the team and worked really hard creating chances,” Arrieta said through an interpreter. “Having said that, I’m looking forward to scoring when it matters for the team and potentially (this week).”

Arrieta was subbed off at halftime of what would become a 3-1 loss to Houston on August 3 for rookie Ryan Finley, who helped create the team’s goal. Despite that, Warzycha said Arrieta’s starting spot remained his to lose.

His statistics so far this season help to tell the story. In 18 games – all starts – last season, Arrieta averaged one goal every 4.6 shots and every 2.3 shots on goal. This season, those numbers have increased to 19.5 and 6.5, respectively. In addition, Arrieta put 51.2 percent of his shots on goal last season compared to 33.3 percent of the time this season.

Those numbers have been affected by his back-and-forth between the Crew and the Costa Rican national team, but Higuain said Arrieta remains a valued asset.

“Jairo, whether or not he scores, is a key piece for this team,” Higuain said through an interpreter. “I see him creating chances and making us more dangerous every game. I have no doubt in his qualities and I’m sure if he keeps working as hard as he has been, the goals are going to come for him. Both for me and the team, he’s a key piece and I consider him to be one of the most dangerous strikers in the league.”

As for whether Higuain’s performance last weekend could spark Arrieta, the Costa Rican said, “That’s what we’re looking for. That’s what we work for every week. We’re looking forward to in the next games finding our own spark. Something like that ignites the fire in us and we keep working to try to get back to goal in the next game.”